McKellen Talks Hobbits

When it comes to these mega-budget blockbuster tentpoles, the actors generally tend to be the last to know anything.

Nonetheless, it’s always nice to get an update from one of them. The latest example comes from Sir Ian “I’m also Magneto” McKellen regarding The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings “bridge” film; scheduled for Christmas 2010 and 2011 releases.

When asked about his participation in said films, he tells us:

“Yes I will, if Peter Jackson and I have anything to do with it, he being the producer and me being, on the whole, a very lucky actor.”

Has Sir Ian even been approached about any additional Middle-Earth outings to begin with? According to him:

“Encouragingly, Peter and Fran Walsh have told me they couldn’t imagine The Hobbit without their original Gandalf. Their confidence hasn’t yet been confirmed by the director Guillermo del Toro but I am keeping my diary free for 2009!”

One wonders if Jackson and Walsh have the same “unimaginable” thoughts about replacing Sir Ian Holm as Bilbo!

I’ll be honest here, folks. I love McKellen – the fact that the Academy Awards passed him over for Roberto Benigni (!?!) 10 years ago still pisses me off! And it’s beyond awesome that he actually makes it a point to answer questions from his fans.

But if Jackson and Walsh have a falling out with Warner Brothers and walk away from producing/writing the two forthcoming Rings prequels, McKellen will still return as Gandalf no doubt about it.

Remember when his buddy Bryan Singer was having it out with Fox over X-Men 3 and bailed in favor of Superman? He still showed up for The Last Stand under Brett Ratner’s direction.

I’m not knocking the guy. But please, this isn’t an issue of being honorable like he’s suggested in past interviews. Warner Brothers will give him a nice-sized paycheck and, he’ll be on set day one. Even if (God forbid) Uwe Boll winds up as the director.

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I really REALLY liked the LOTR movies, the extended versions were even BETTER and followed to the books more closely. I would love to see Mr. Ian McKellen back as Gandalf. One of the best characters in the whole trilogy, IMO.

Your logic seems backwards. Are you suggesting that his choice to stick with a character and see it out no matter who else drops out of the picture is somehow…contemptable? Do you honestly think that McKellan did the X-Men films because he needed some cash? I see it as just the opposite. I see any actor who chooses to stay with a project they’ve been a part of even when circumstances change is a very noble and unselfish actor. Nuts to Singer for bailing on his X-Men contract in the first place (although, at the same time, props to him for making such a kick-ass Superman flick instead…but nuts again for considering bailing from the sequel.) And nuts to you for suggesting that McKellan is anything other than a class act through and through. Hollywood is want for more actors of his caliber. But seriously, thanks for the update, nevertheless. Here’s hoping the new flicks end up with the same high-quality treatment as the trilogy.

In past interviews, McKellen has said as much that THE HOBBIT “has to have Peter Jackson involved” if he were to be play Gandalf again. And that’s BS based on his past actions with showing up for X-MEN 3…without Singer.

As I’ve said before, I’m a huge fan of his (as an actor and human being). And I wouldn’t have even brought that up had he not been the one to do so himself. I’m also NOT suggesting (nor did I ever) that he lacked class; quiet the opposite.

Trust me if any of us were in Singer’s shoes regarding X-MEN 3, we’d have left too; especially when given the chance to take over the SUPERMAN franchise (a dream of his since he was a kid) and been given the kind of creative freedom he was by Warner Brothers.

And there’s been NOTHING to suggest he was not going to direct the forthcoming SUPERMAN RETURNS sequel THE MAN OF STEEL besides some over-zealous SR-haters trying to spin the news.

Singer has NEVER waivered in his intent to continue with the SUPERMAN franchise. Now…after TMOS comes out, maybe he’ll move on or maybe he’ll stick around for a 3rd outing with Routh. Who knows?